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FEI 2026 RULE CHANGES

Major welfare-focused reforms come into effect January 1st, 2026 The FEI has published its updated Rules and Regulations for 2026, approved by the General Assembly in November, with sweeping changes across multiple disciplines. The reforms, which take effect on January 1st, 2026, signal a decisive shift toward enhanced horse welfare, greater transparency, and clearer guidelines…

BylizzieDecember 21, 20250Comments

Black and white photo of a horse working in a fibre arena in bandages - HQ Magazine

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ASKHQ: LATERAL WORK ISSUES

AskHQ: My horse works nicely in straight lines, but as soon as we start lateral work including leg-yields, shoulder-in and half-pass, he comes against the hand. Why does this happen, and what should I look at first? A: Lateral work asks far more of the horse’s posture, strength, balance, and coordination than straight work. When…

BylizzieDecember 21, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

MINDSET COACHING – BUILDING THE RIDER’S COMPETITIVE EDGE

Text: Lara Ellwood Horses have given us some of life’s most joyful moments—freedom, partnership, connection, and the friendships forged along the way. But for many riders, those highs can be tempered by the creeping nerves that come before a class, in the warm-up arena, or even while thinking about the next show. These overwhelming emotions can…

BylizzieJuly 21, 20250Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

ASKHQ: SHOULD I DROP THE FOOD?

Q: Should I drop my horse's food to a lower level? He is doing much less work at the moment but I'm nervous to make any changes. A: One key rule of f eeding horses is to ‘ feed for work done ’ . This essentially means that when your horse is given time off or…

BylizzieJune 11, 20200Comments

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ASKHQ: WEIGHT AIDS

Q: What are the weight aids? My instructor often asks me to use my weight as an aid, and I am unsure exactly what this means. I feel very unbalanced if I try to lean to one side or the other. A: The weight aids are a large part of your seat aids and the seat…

BylizzieApril 11, 20200Comments

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ASKHQ: HALT PROBLEMS

Q: Every time I halt, my dressage horse will stop square and then immediately swing his hindquarters to the right. I always get points taken off for my halt. How can I fix this? Asked by Niel Noppe A: This problem is described as a technical mistake in a dressage test. In fact, it is caused by…

BylizzieJanuary 21, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health Horse Training

ASKHQ: STIRRUP LENGTH

Q: What is a good guideline for jumping stirrup length for heights between 70cm and 1.20m? Asked by Laura Paschini A: As a rule of thumb, your flatwork stirrups should hand slightly above your ankle when your legs are hanging loosely around your horse's barrel. Some riders are quite happy to jump smaller heights (50cm to 80cm)…

BylizzieJanuary 20, 20200Comments

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ASKHQ: GROWING HORSES

Q: People say horses don't stop growing until they're seven years old. If this is true, should we be riding them when they're four? Asked by Sami Francis A: The age that a horse stops growing varies, depending mainly on his breed. Thoroughbreds, for example, tend to mature much faster than larger, heavier Warmbloods, and as such,…

BylizzieJanuary 17, 20200Comments

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ASKHQ: BROODMARES

Q: What are you looking for in a broodmare? A: Performance in the dam-line is what we are looking for. Period. Her own performance in the sport is not as reliable an indicator of her worth as her grandmother's, her mother's and her own history as producers of top athletes. Ravella, probably the most precious broodmare we've…

BylizzieJanuary 14, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health Know How

ASKHQ: ULTRASOUND

Q: What is the difference between therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound? Asked by Caitlin White A: Diagnostic ultrasound involves the use of ultrasound waves to produce an image that will aid in the diagnosis of a particular condition or disease. It is a tool to aid in the visualisation of internal organs and can be a guide in making…

BylizzieDecember 19, 20190Comments

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